The Right Thing
by SanoGirl
Summary: RATING CHANGE! Sequel to "That Which Remains Unspoken" Yusuke is unsure of what to do after losing Kurama. He finds out that he may have overlooked someone else... (YAOI) FINISHED!
1. Chapter I

The Right Thing:

Chapter 1

The sun glinted off his hair, setting it aflame and making it gleam with light. The sounds of his heavy breathing and the pounding of his heart rang harsh in his ears, blocking out even the rising cacophony of the birds. Staring down the particularly large one across from him, he hastily wiped the sweat off his forehead before it could run into his eyes. The bird did not even blink. He stared back for a few seconds, then, with a loud yell, jumped off the branch. The bird lept into the air and dive-bombed the falling boy, an angry screech escaping its beak. Twisting in midair, energy crackled to life in the boy's hand, slicing through the bird and bringing an abrupt end to the loud screeching.

A satisfied grin split his face in two, until it was wiped from his face by a sudden landing. With a loud "Oof!" Kuwabara hit the forest floor of the Makai, a cloud of dead leaves and pollen enveloping him. Coughing and sputtering, he sat up and moaned as his head spun. Waiting a few minutes for his head to clear, he listened closely for the sounds of any more birds that might come after him. Breathing a sigh of relief when he heard nothing, he stood up and dusted his blue school uniform off. Laughing stupidly, he walked off, intending to head back to the human world because his mission here was done.

A symphony of angry squawks arose behind him and all at once a hailstorm of claws and beaks began pelting the tall youth. Running for his life with his hands over his head, Kuwabara yelled and screamed his way back to the Ningenkai.

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And while his best friend was running for dear life, Yusuke Urameshi was sitting in his house, in nothing but a pair of blue jeans, and staring miserably out the window at nothing.

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So it was suffice to say that the only people happy were Kurama and Hiei, still lying together, intertwined in Kurama's bed, exchanging soft endearments and promises.

And it was because of them that Yusuke was so miserable. Or rather, because of Kurama. The chocolate-eyed youth had turned to the trapped kitsune after being dumped by Keiko, only to leave him in the dust at the moment of Keiko's return. Kurama, in utter anguish had fallen into depression, only to come alive once again when Hiei had come to him and confessed his own love for the kitsune.

Upon the heartfelt confession from the little fire demon, Kurama had awakened the long-buried feelings inside of himself and accepted Hiei with open arms. Now it seemed the two were partners for life while Yusuke was left with his guilt and regret. He had not known how much he had really cared for the kitsune, thinking only of having Keiko back and neglecting to think about the red-haired boy's feelings. Now, knowing what kind of torment he had put the other boy through, he was regretting it…and beginning to wonder if Keiko was really worth it.

The said girl now walked into the room and sat down next to him on the couch. She rested her head gently against his shoulder and sighed softly. Half turning, Yusuke looked down at the girl who had caused him so much trouble and pain, and in that instant he knew that this wasn't right; this wasn't going to work out. He could barely look at her without having a wave of guilt wash over him and leave him shaking. He would have to end this. Now.

Mustering up his courage he cleared his throat softly and said, "Keiko?" Getting a soft murmur in response he took a deep breath and steeled himself for the huge blow up he knew would come. "Keiko…I don't think it's a good idea for us to go out anymore."

Dead silence.

"Um…Keiko?" He scratched his head.

"YUSUKE!" she screamed, jumping up and whirling around to face him. The afore mentioned boy nearly wet his pants and instinctively put his hands over his ears, swearing loudly. "How could you?! After everything I've done for you! After nearly losing you! YUSUKE!"

Getting up, he faced her square on and stood firm to his decision. "This doesn't feel right! Not after what I did to Kurama! I don't think we should go out anymore!" He bit his lip.

"Fine!" she exclaimed, her eyes growing hard. "Just don't ever come crying back to me, Yusuke Urameshi!" And grabbing her coat, the brown-haired girl stomped out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

Sighing, Yusuke plopped back down onto the couch and rubbed his temples with his hands. He hated doing that to her, but it felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Deep down, underneath his slight regret and misgivings, he knew he had done the right thing. Grabbing the remote and flicking on the TV, the Sprit Detective sat there and stared at the screen, his mind wandering to the time he had spent with Kurama.

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Author's Note: Yeah, yeah I know it's short! And I'm sorry!  .  It just seemed like a good place to leave off for now.  ^.^  But I promise there will be longer chappies soon!!!


	2. Chapter II

The Right Thing:

Chapter 2

The next morning dawned cool and cloudy. Yusuke, still asleep on his futon, was oblivious to the incessant pounding on his front door. He snored on, loud and long, as the knocking grew to a crescendo.

"URAMESHI! OPEN THE FREAKIN' DOOR!!!" Kuwabara pummeled the door with his fists, causing it to shake and creak on its hinges. He had been standing here for at least 10 minutes, banging out a melody on the Spirit Detective's front door. Growling, he banged a few more times, then sighed. His hand drifted down to the doorknob and alighted gently upon it. Without even thinking, he turned the knob and the door swung easily inward. Jumping about a mile in the air he exclaimed, "Geez! Doesn't he even lock the door?!"

Settling down somewhat, he closed the door behind him and shrugged off his coat, setting it on the couch. Wandering down the hall into the inner recesses of Yusuke's home, his feet padding softly on the wooden floors, he grumbled to himself, ranting on about the idiots in this world and how they were going to be the death of him someday. Entering Yusuke's room, without bothering to knock, he opened his mouth and inhaled deeply, intending on giving the sleeping boy a piece of his mind. But his breath caught in his throat as he looked down at his slumbering friend.

The soft gray light of morning sifting in through the blinds hit his head square on and made his hair gleam in the dull rays. His eyes fluttered lightly in his sleep, long lashes tickling his pink cheeks, as his lean chest rose and fell in time with the snores and rumblings issuing forth from his open mouth. One muscular arm was thrown out wide and Kuwabara was fascinated by the play of light and shadows over the toned skin.

He stood there and stared for what seemed like an eternity before finally shaking himself out of his daydream with a pounding heart. What was he thinking?! This was Urameshi he was staring at! Rubbing his eyes he stepped forward and yelled, "Urameshi! Wake up!"

With shout to wake the dead and a heck of a lot of swearing, Yusuke sat up and blinked sleepily at his tall friend, pissed as hell over having been awakened so rudely. "Whaddya want Kuwabara?"

Grinning cockily, the orange-haired boy explained his plans of wanting to go to the movies, and Yusuke half-listened, still mostly asleep. "Yeah, yeah, sure," he replied when Kuwabara was done, waving his hand in dismissal. "Gimmie five minutes to change and I'll go with ya."

Kuwabara wandered back down the hall and grabbed his coat off the couch, slipping it back on and pacing around the room impatiently. He glanced at his watch and gave a strangled cry. The movie started in ten minutes! It would take them at least that long to get to the theater! Yelling to Yusuke, who came bursting out of his room two seconds later, the two teens raced down the street at top speed, both swearing up a storm at the other and blaming them for the turn of events.

When they finally skidded to a stop in front of the theater eight minutes later, both were out of breath and panting clouds of steam into the crisp, early morning air. Slipping into line, Yusuke glanced over at the taller boy. The long run had caused pinkish-red spots of color to bloom on both his cheeks, and the still rising sun glanced off his hair and stained it the color of fire. His eyes were shining and his mouth was turned up in his trademark grin, a small chuckle escaping him. "Well, we made it!"

He looked down at Yusuke and found him already looking up at him, and giving him the oddest of looks. "Urameshi?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side.

Starting, Yusuke came back down to earth with a thud. "Umm…nothing!" he replied, waving his hands. "Let's get the tickets and go see this movie!" And he turned around as the people in front of them went inside and handed the ticket man his money.

Scratching his head, Kuwabara wondered what that was all about; he was never very good at deciphering other people's feelings and right now was no exception. So, sighing to himself, he followed Yusuke up to the ticket booth. But the ticket man pushed away his money and waved him on through. "You're already paid for. He's got your ticket, so go ahead on in."

Kuwabara looked over at Yusuke, who was standing by the entrance to the theater and smirking widely while waving two movie tickets in the air. Huffing, Kuwabara stomped over to him. "Urameshi! Why'd you do that?! I could've paid for myself!"

"Geez man, chill out. I had some extra cash and it was burning a hole in my pocket. If you're so outraged, you can buy the snacks, okay?" And still smirking, he strolled on into the theater, hands in his pockets. Surprised, Kuwabara followed, frowning in confusion. Today was turning out to be very weird, and it was making him jumpy; he sat down next to Yusuke in the theater and held out the popcorn. Eyes on the screen, Yusuke reached over to take it, and his hand brushed up against Kuwabara's.

It was as if electricity sparked between them. Both boys jumped slightly and turned to look directly into the eyes of the other. There was a connection between them now, and Kuwabara's sixth sense was screaming. The little hairs on the back of his neck were standing straight up and he felt Yusuke's hand tremble slightly. Both stared for a few seconds before Kuwabara hastily pulled his hand back, cheeks turning pink, and focused on the movie. He was thankful for the dark of the theater to hide the pink on his face.

Next to him, Yusuke also turned back to the screen and, unbeknownst to Kuwabara, his cheeks were also tinted a bright shade of pink. He touched one of them lightly and was surprised at the heat radiating off of it. Shaking his head furiously and sending pieces of dark hair flying, he shoved the incident out of his mind and centered his attention on the movie and shoving as much popcorn as he possibly could into his mouth.

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"Nah! It sucked! That was the lamest movie I ever saw!" Kuwabara shouted as the two boys left the theater.

"You're too stupid to realize a good movie when you see one!" Yusuke threw back at him.

The two friends started off towards their houses, bantering good-naturedly back and forth about the movie they had just seen. Their laughter rang out often and several times, so did their curses. But everything was said in fun, and both knew that other really didn't mean 90% of what they said.

Turning off when he reached his house, Kuwabara waved his goodbye and Yusuke continued on alone. He grinned for a few seconds after his friend left, then once more he was overtaken by an onslaught of depression. The few hours he had spent with the carrot-headed boy had served as a useful distraction to take his mind off his most recent blunder. But now that the loud, Spirit Sword wielder was gone, all his guilt was back.

Whether he was awake or dreaming, all that played through his mind was Kurama's face; the pain, horror, and obvious betrayal written all over Kurama's face tormented his mind and haunted the insides of his eyelids. Wherever he looked, Kurama was there. Whatever he felt, it was spiked with an undercurrent of guilt.

Knowing that he was the cause of all of Kurama's pain was unbearable to the street-wise teen. He mounted the steps to his house, knowing in his gut what he must do. Shakily he sat down on the couch and picked the phone up off its receiver. His trembling fingers dialed Kurama's number and the ringing of the phone caused his stomach to jump into his throat. "Hello?" came the soft voice on the other end.

Yusuke almost forgot to answer. The voice seemed so…happy. "K-Kurama?" he started. "It's Yusuke.

There was nothing but silence on the other end.


	3. Chapter III

The Right Thing:

Chapter 3

"Kurama?" Yusuke asked again, a note of uncertainty creeping into his voice.

"Yes," came the cool, neutral reply from the other end.

"Um…can I- can I…talk to you?"

There was a pause on the other end and Yusuke _thought_ he heard a slight scuffling noise in the background before his answer came. "Yes, Yusuke, go ahead." The voice seemed calmer now and slightly less distant, so the Spirit Detective took that as a good sign and launched into his apology.

Five minutes later, he ended his speech and sat quietly while Kurama processed all he had just said. "Yusuke, I…I understand better now why you did what you did."

"Really?" the dark-haired boy asked, his voice hopeful. "Can we get back together then?"

A sigh rushed over the phone to meet his waiting ear. "I'm sorry Yusuke, I can't do that."

The boy's heart sank into his shoes. "W-why not?" he asked, stomach doing back flips all the while.

"Because Hiei and I are together now. I love him Yusuke."

_Love him…I love him Yusuke…love him…_ The words rang harsh and loud in the teen's ears. He dropped the phone back onto the receiver with a loud clatter and sank down into the cushions of his couch. His entire body was shaking and the room suddenly felt colder. Shivering, he hugged himself tightly and rocked slowly back and forth.

Kurama and Hiei…Kurama and Hiei. His trembling body broke out in a cold sweat at the thought. Kurama was no longer his for the taking, didn't even love him anymore. Teeth chattering, he ran over all the events of the past few days, trying to remember if there had been anything going on between the other two, but nothing came to mind.

Then it hit him like a train: Hiei had been acting sort of strange during their mission to the Makai. Well, more so then usual. Yusuke hadn't seen him around much, and there was one point where he had come upon him and Kurama together and had turned around and walked away again. Biting his lip to keep from crying he realized that the little fire demon had loved the kitsune all along, but hadn't interfered because of his relationship with him. With him! An incredible feeling of shame washed over him and he fell to his side on the couch.

Yusuke knew now he did not deserve the kitsune boy; he was not worthy. Hiei had loved him for a longer period of time, and yet had still stood back while forced to watch his love fall for another. Then Yusuke had rejected Kurama, all because of his own feelings for Keiko, which, he now admitted, had never been that strong to begin with.

Blood trickled down from his lip in unison with the hot, salty tear that fell from his eye. Finally breaking down, he buried his face in a cushion, not caring if his blood left a stain and sobbed until his entire body was wracked with convulsions.

So loud was his sobbing, that he did not hear the loud, insistent knocking at his front door, and did not notice the presence of another person in the room until the said person crouched down by the couch and whispered his name. "Urameshi?"

Yusuke looked up, startled out of his wits, and choked. Kuwabara was crouched by the couch, looking at him with a worried, confused look in his eyes.

Without knowing why, the brown-eyed boy sat up and flung his arms around the other teen's neck, clinging onto him for dear life. "What did I do Kuwabara, what did I do?! I never meant to hurt him and now he's got Hiei and…" A stream of senseless babble left his mouth all in a rush and Kuwabara took it all into stride with understanding placidness.

Shushing softly, he got up from his crouching position and sat down on the couch, pulling the Spirit Detective into his arms and cradling him like a baby. Yusuke buried his face in the other boy's chest and continued to sob for many more long minutes. Kuwabara didn't seem at all ruffled by this, he sat there patiently, rubbing one hand up and down the shorter boy's arm soothingly while continuing to make shushing noises.

With one last hiccup, Yusuke took a few deep breaths and wiped his face off with one hand. "What are you doing here anyway, man?" He asked Kuwabara, sounding slightly less hysterical and more like the old Yusuke.

"I went back to the theater cause I had left my jacket there, and found your wallet on the floor. I was just bringing it back," the tall youth explained. "But that's not important now," he continued, throwing Yusuke's brown leather wallet onto the little end table by the couch. "What's the matter?" he asked in a dead serious tone, looking Yusuke right in the eyes.

Biting his lip and wincing as he almost reopened the cut there, Yusuke poured out the whole story to his friend, still holding on tightly to him the entire time. When he was finished, he once more buried his face in Kuwabara's blue jacket, feeling the dampness his earlier outburst had caused.

Nodding silently Kuwabara rubbed Yusuke's back while he mulled things over. The orange-haired boy wasn't stupid, he just liked to think things like this over before saying anything or making any judgments. Yusuke leaned against him, a sense of calm stealing over him as he felt the solidity of Kuwabara's chest through the fabric of his jacket. Here was something in his life that never changed, something that would always remain as it was and that was Kuwabara. Without knowing how, he knew Kuwabara would always be there for him when he needed it, and this calmed him more then anything else in the world could.

"Well…" Kuwabara started as Yusuke looked up expectantly. "It looks like you screwed things up royally Urameshi."

The dark-haired boy's heart sank once more into his feet. "But, you've apologized to Kurama, and he accepted the apology, even though he couldn't and wouldn't take you back. You've done all you can, and you gotta move on." He shrugged, muscular shoulders contracting. "You can't make people like you Urameshi. So you just gotta forget about it and get on with things." Kuwabara stopped here, his cheeks and ears going pink.

But Yusuke looked up at him with a tearstained face and smiled. "Thanks Kuwabara," he said and, leaning forward, placed a chaste kiss on his friend's lips.

When he pulled back, Kuwabara could only stare wonderingly at the other's face. "Yusuke?" he whispered questioningly, his astonishment showing in the fact that he used Yusuke's actual name.

The Spirit Detective cocked his head to the side and watched the tall boy for a while.

Kuwabara gazed back, still startled beyond belief, then leaned down and pressed his lips to Yusuke's once more. Smiling into the kiss, Yusuke tightened his arms around the orange-haired boy's neck and closed his eyes in rapture.

Kuwabara's lips were surprisingly soft and pliable, the skin of his face smooth and unblemished. The taller boy's hand began to roam all over Yusuke's upper body, stroking, caressing, and rubbing warmth into his chill skin. Yusuke shuddered beneath his ministrations and clung all the more tighter to Kuwabara's neck.

Breaking away and looking down at him once again, Kuwabara just sat there for several more moments and drank in the sight before him. Eyes glowing and mouth stained dark pink, Yusuke stared back up at him, likewise memorizing the other's face.

How long they remained like this, no one knows, but when the set sank down below the horizon, the taller boy was cradling the sleeping body of his Spirit Detective, fatigue stealing over his own body until he too slept.


	4. Chapter IV

The Right Thing:

Chapter 4

Soft golden sunlight stole silently through the frosty windowpane, giving the two youths an ethereal glow as they lay sleeping on the couch. Two muscular chests rose and fell in unison and a pair of hands lay intertwined on one of the cushions. The only sound in the room was soft breathing and the occasional sound of a car outside.

Stirring slightly, Kuwabara yawned loudly and sat up, finding one of his hands clutched tightly in Yusuke's. Smiling fondly, he gently disentangled the smaller boy's hand and stared down in wonder at his newfound love. The light bathed him with a golden glow that was almost magical and his chest rose and fell rhythmically beneath a white t-shirt.

Not quite knowing what to do, Kuwabara got up and paced quietly around the room in stocking feet, taking the time to think things over. It had all happened so fast. He had only come here to give Urameshi back his wallet and before he knew it, he had been sucked into his screwed up love life. And then there was the kissing…

Shaking his head he stopped dead in his tracks when Yusuke suddenly appeared in front of him. Startled, all he could mange to get out was, "Uh…good morning?"

Laughing, Yusuke threw his arms around Kuwabara's solid neck and hugged him tight. "Morning Kuwabara!" he exclaimed, all previous anguish seemingly gone.

Hugging him hesitantly back, Kuwabara jumped a little when he felt soft lips lightly caressing his neck. Yusuke laughed again and ran his tongue along Kuwabara's jaw line, eliciting a soft groan from the taller boy. Burying his fingers deep in Kuwabara's silky hair, Yusuke clung tightly to him. "Thanks, man," he whispered in the orange-haired boy's ear.

"No…problem…" Kuwabara whispered back, distracted by the feel of the Spirit Detective's steamy breath tickling his ear.

Just then, the front door opened and the two boys sprang apart. Yusuke's mom stumbled in, looking more then slightly drunk, and flopped down on the couch. "Make me some tea Yusuke," she said, her words slightly slurred as she waved her hand towards the kitchen.

"Lazy bitch…" Yusuke muttered under his breath as he headed towards the kitchen, Kuwabara following close behind and grabbing his jacket as he went.

Once they were in the kitchen, Kuwabara slung his jacket over his shoulder and slipped an arm around Yusuke's waist. "I'm gonna leave now Urameshi. See ya later." And he squeezed the slender boy's waist tightly before letting go and heading towards the door.

"Kuwabara…."Yusuke said as the taller boy half-turned back to face him. "Thanks again," he said awkwardly.

Nodding, Kuwabara left the kitchen and Yusuke's house. Once outside, he heaved a huge sigh and watched as his breath clouded the air in front of his face. Shivering slightly, he put his jacket back on and wished fervently for the warmth of Yusuke's arms.

Warmth of Yusuke's arm?! He shook his head furiously. What was he thinking?! Urameshi was his friend and a guy at that! What had come over him last night; why had he…His thoughts trailed off as the memories of their kisses came flooding back into his mind. Even though he was alone on the street in the early dawn, his cheeks flared with heat. What had he done?

Walking quickly, he left Yusuke's house far behind as he headed into the early morning fog. It swirled gently around his legs and tickled his nose as his steps took him towards the park. There was one secluded spot he had discovered one day when he was kid, in the middle of a grove of trees, where almost no one ever came and whenever he needed time to be alone, he always went there.

Now, more then five years later, things still had not changed; Kuwabara still went to his secret little spot whenever he need to think things over.

And boy did he have a lot to think about. Images of Yusuke kept bombarding his brain and his senses felt like they were on sensual overload. He slumped down beneath a tree, resting his back against the strong, rough-barked trunk and sighing, resting his head in his hands. Things had all happened so fast! What was he supposed to do now? What did Yusuke see in all this? More importantly, what did he want from all this?

The cool morning air chilled his arms and froze the tip of his nose, yet he could not bring himself to get up and go home. He couldn't leave, not until he had figured this out. Muttering curses against the skies above, he pulled his jacket around his shoulders and shivered slightly, still mulling things over in his mind.

Another hour found Kuwabara still sitting beneath the oak tree, head once more in his hands. The only thing that had changed was the boy's temperature; he was now officially freezing. Getting up stiffly, he decided he could figure the rest of this out at home, with a cup of tea or some soup or something. Buttoning the blue school jacket, he trudged down the sidewalk, meeting more then a few people now that the sun was up, and averting his face from the wind.

It was because of this that he failed to note the slender form until it was too late. With a loud "Oof!" he stumbled and whirled around to face the offender, curses and insults sitting on the edge of his tongue, ready to fly off the moment he saw the person. Needless to say, when he met a pair of sharp, crystal green eyes, the swear words died in his mouth. "Kurama?" he asked incredulously.

The fox boy smiled. "Hello Kuwabara," he said amiably. "What are you doing here? I thought you lived almost on the opposite side of town."

"I do," Kuwabara answered. "I was just in the park is all. I'm heading home right now in fact," he added.

Kurama nodded. "Why were you in the park on such a cold day?" he asked, gently probing the other boy's mind. He had caught a glimpse of something in Kuwabara's eyes, a kind of confusion almost, maybe unease.

"Um…I just had some stuff I wanted to think about," the taller teen replied, averting his eyes. "That's all."

"Mmm," Kurama murmured, nodding in agreement, yet keeping his penetrating gaze on Kuwabara.

Shifting nervously under the kitsune's stare, he finally spat out, "I was just over at Urameshi's place, alright?!" He switched from foot to foot, still avoiding Kurama's gaze, the pink tinge to his cheeks not only from the cold.

Eyes widening, Kurama inhaled sharply. At Yusuke's place? What would Kuwabara be doing there? He couldn't possibly know about…could he? Deciding to take this a step further, he ignored Kuwabara's startled glance and motioned for the boy to follow him. "Come on Kuwabara, my house isn't far from here and you look pretty cold. I'll get you something warm, ok?"

Nodding suspiciously, Kuwabara followed the slender red-head, making a mental note to himself not to mention Yusuke around Kurama from now on and vice versa.


	5. Chapter V

The Right Thing:

Chapter 5

Handing the obviously chilled youth a hot mug of cocoa, Kurama sat down across from him and watched the orange-haired boy intently. The suspicion still hadn't fully left his eyes and there was a wariness about him that belied his usually calm exterior.

Just as Kuwabara looked up to find the fox-boy watching him and was about to comment on it, Hiei strolled into the room wearing nothing but his typical black pants. Kuwabara's mouth dropped open as the little demon walked over to the red-haired boy and placed a lazy kiss on his lips before sitting down next to him. He shot Kuwabara an uninterested glance. "You look like some species of fish," he drawled and with one finger, reached over and shut the other boy's mouth with a click of teeth. "Better," he decided and got up once more to get himself something to drink.

Kurama chuckled at the dazed look on his friend's face and took a sip of his own cocoa. "Yes, Kuwabara, Hiei and I really _are_ together. What Yusuke told you was true."

"But…how?!…I never…I mean-"

Kurama cut the stuttering youth off. "So my hunch was right, Yusuke _did_ tell you everything."

Kuwabara felt his cheeks flare with an angry heat. "So what?! Why should you care?! He needed me, Kurama! Needed me! You have Hiei now, so why should you give a damn about what happens to Urameshi? So just leave him alone!" Surprised at his own outburst and depth of feeling, Kuwabara quickly clamped his mouth shut and stared down into the swirling chocolate liquid.

Hiei sat down at the table with them again, snickering. "Looks like Urameshi doesn't need Kurama anymore…"

With a sharp glance, Kurama kicked the fire demon under the table and gave his head a brief shake. Hiei stared back at him blankly. With a quiet sigh, Kurama turned back to the orange-haired teen and saw that he was staring into the depths of his mug as if the chocolate held al the answers to his problems. "Kuwabara?" he queried gently.

With a start, the other boy looked up and found a pair of understanding green eyes meeting his own confused black ones. "What?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably. Kurama's eyes were so…intense; it felt as if he could see right down into your soul, as if you could hide nothing from the kitsune in disguise.

"I think…" Here he paused, unsure of how to word this so the other teen wouldn't be scared off.

"I think that you and Yusuke need to talk," said Hiei, he hid his expression from the others by taking a sip from his mug, but they could hear the tone of compassion in his voice. "You won't get anywhere by hiding how you really feel." He set the mug down with a soft thump and watched Kuwabara with flaming red eyes and an unwavering gaze.

Kuwabara held the demon's stare for several moments more before quickly averting his eyes. Hiei was right and he knew it. But…how did one talk to someone about these things? Especially to someone who, up until very recently, had been you best friend?

"Maybe you should sort things out for yourself first, though." Kurama voice was kind and his eyes still radiated understanding like a beacon. "It's no good talking to someone about how they feel when you yourself don't even understand things."

And once more, Kuwabara knew Kurama was right. Heaving a huge sigh, he shoved the mug of almost untouched cocoa out of the way and buried his face in his arms. With a finger to his lips, Kurama motioned to Hiei and the two demons left the room silently. It was best to leave the confused Spirit Sword wielder alone for a while, he obviously needed some time alone to think about everything that had happened. Assuming something _had_ happened in the first place.

"You know, Kurama," Hiei said once they were in another room. He sat himself down on the kitsune's lap and looked him square in the eye. "We could be wrong about this. We don't even know for sure if something really happened. We could be steering them both down the wrong track."

Kurama smirked a little and a gleam of craftiness, reminiscent of the Youko buried deep within him, sparked in his eyes. "I think we did the right thing. You should have seen him earlier, he would barely even meet my eyes! Yes…" he mused. "Something _did_ happen. And I'm sure it's along the lines of what we're feeling-" He was cut off here by a possessive kiss from the other demon.

"Who cares?" Hiei growled, slipping his arms around the fox boy's neck and tightening them considerably. "Let them work it out." He began to nibble on Kurama's neck, eliciting little gasps from the other.

"Hiei!…Hiei!" Gently he pushed his demon lover away. "You know as well as I do that you care."

"Hn," the little fire demon snorted, but Kurama caught the glimmer of truth in his scarlet depths. With a smile, Kurama kissed Hiei once more before gently placing him on the couch and rising. "I think I'm going to go look in on Kuwabara. Then I think I'll head upstairs to my room to do some homework." His smile widened into a full-blown smirk after he had said that last sentence and as he left the room, he felt Hiei rush by him and up the stairs.

Still smirking, he stuck his head into the kitchen quietly, only to find it empty. Nodding to himself, he also turned and headed up the stairs, following Hiei. "_I do hope they manage to work something out_," Kurama thought, concern swirling in his mind. But all that was forgotten the moment he stepped into his room and found Hiei waiting.

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Kuwabara found himself once more wandering aimlessly down the sidewalks, not really knowing where to go or what to do. He wanted to go talk to Yusuke, but he wasn't sure if he should or even could! After all, everything had happened so fast, and he wasn't sure if Yusuke had had enough time yet to think his side of the issue over.

Shoes tapping softly on the concrete, Kuwabara eventually found himself almost at the other end of the city from where Yusuke lived. Sighing once more, he flopped down on a bench and placed his head in his hands. This was getting him nowhere. He had to do something!

"_Get some backbone, man!_" he chastised himself. He knew that if he didn't do something soon, he might lose his chance altogether. But even so, he just could not bring his feet to turn themselves towards Yusuke's house.

So, even as the afternoon lengthened, Kuwabara found himself still sitting on that bench, almost as far away from Yusuke as he could get. And even while his heart screamed at him that this wasn't right, that this wasn't where he was supposed to be, his pragmatic mind refused to be sucked in and kept him trapped in a prison of his own making.

The first shades of night were just beginning to fall when a pair of shoes appeared in his line of vision as he stared at the cracked concrete by his feet. His breath catching in his throat, Kuwabara looked up to find Yusuke standing over him, rubbing bare arms for warmth. One hand left his arm and came up to rub the back of his head almost shyly. "Um…hi Kuwabara…Can we…talk?"

With a relieved nod, Kuwabara stood up and for a moment, Yusuke gaped in wonder as the taller boy's head was silhouetted against the darkening sky. Kuwabara looked down at the motionless teen and shifted awkwardly. With a start Yusuke shook himself from his stupor and began walking with his friend, not knowing that these next few hours would become the most important (and the most cherished) of his life.


	6. Chapter VI

The Right Thing:

Chapter 6

Kuwabara followed his shorter friend, having no idea where they were going but putting his trust in Yusuke completely. What he didn't expect was to be lead right to his little secret spot in the park where he had just been earlier that morning. Surprise must have been etched visibly onto his features, for when Yusuke looked over at him he asked, "You been here before?"

"Well, ya!" the tall youth exclaimed. "I used to come here all the time when I was a kid, just to…think things over ya know?"

Yusuke's eyes widened. "Really? Me too! I didn't think anyone else knew about it here…"

Surprise once again found its way into Kuwabara's being. He gave a small shiver when he realized that there were still many things, like this, that he didn't know about Urameshi. "_Yusuke_," he corrected himself mentally. "_His name is Yusuke_" That would take some getting used to.

With a small sigh Yusuke slipped down to the ground, leaning against the tall oak that Kuwabara himself had found comfort with. Mimicking the other boy's sigh, Kuwabara slid down next to him, stretching his long legs out on the ground in front of him. Both boys said nothing for a while, staring at the deepening shadows as the dusk fell and night swooped down upon the world.

The air was still cool, but the skies above were clear and cloudless, the stars sparkled like thousands upon thousands of gems, their light adding to that of the half a globe that was the moon. The silver light illuminated the middle of the little glade and speckled the outer edges, filtering through the branches where it could.

"So…" Kuwabara finally said, fidgeting a little and shredding a fallen leaf in his hands.

"I brought you here for a reason Kuwabara," Yusuke answered. "I wanted to talk to you…" Here the dark-haired teen paused and looked up at the skies above. "You see…I…well…I didn't want you to be scared away by what happened this morning…"

Kuwabara nodded, not realizing the other boy probably couldn't see him through the rapidly lengthening shadows.

In spite of the silence, Yusuke continued, if somewhat more shakily then before. "Because, I-I need you Kuwabara, and I realize that now. If you hadn't come to me last night I don't know what I would have done!" Here the embarrassed teen stopped and stared down at his hands, feeling his face heat up rapidly.

After a moment he heard Kuwabara's whispered response. "Say it again." His friend's voice sounded ever more shaky then his own.

"Uh, I don't know what I would have done if-"

"No! Not that…the first part."

Understanding shot through the dark-haired boy's mind like lightning. "I _need_ you Kuwabara," he said without hesitation, the hint of a smile in his voice.

The only sound that reached his ears for the next minute was the abruptly harsh breathing of the boy next to him.

Suddenly, he sensed a warm body up against his own and he felt cool fingers tracing a line up his arm. "Did you mean it Ura-…Yusuke?" Kuwabara whispered in his ear, not realizing that his steamy breath was almost driving the smaller boy insane.

"Yes Kuwabara," he replied and flung his arms around his newfound love's neck without regret. And when he felt an answering squeeze from the arms that slipped their way around his waist, he knew that all he could ever want was right here.

With a surprised "Ahn!", he felt Kuwabara's tongue tracing the contours of his ear. Warm breath tickled his ear and he made a contented humming sound, reveling in the warmth of the other's arms. Gently he untangled his arms from the Spirit Sword wielder's neck and ran his hands down the boy's back instead. The smooth hardness of Kuwabara's muscles gave him a feeling of solidity and reassurance that he had never felt before, not from anyone. He knew that no matter what happened to them, they could get through it and they would get through it together.

Getting a wicked thought, he gently pulled back from Kuwabara's loose embrace and smirked at the surprise on his face. Leaning in, he placed a rough kiss on the taller boy's lips and growled when he felt the responding pressure.

Taking control, he shifted his weight and pressed the other boy to the ground, never breaking their lip-lock. Shifting once again, he straddled the taller boy's hips and pressed down with a gently, yet firm pressure, pinning him to the soft grass.

Simultaneous moans issued forth from both their mouths as their groins rubbed against each other; there was a growing feeling of heat pooling in their lower bodies that both found increasingly hard to ignore.

Tracing the outline of Yusuke's lips with his tongue, Kuwabara began divesting the youth of his shirt, only breaking away to slip it over his dark head. With a smirk that ran from ear to ear, Yusuke pulled open Kuwabara's jacket and slid his shirt up, running the palms of his hands down the toned muscle of his torso. With a loud groan Kuwabara slid his own hands up Yusuke's sides, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.

Their eyes met for a moment and both saw their love and desire mirrored in the other's eyes. They kissed again, a light brushing of the lips this time, before continuing their ministrations.

Half an hour later, the sounds of two names being roared to the sky, drowning out all of nature's other music. And about a block away, Kurama turned away from his window and grinned to Hiei, who was lying on the bed, sneering. "Seems like they've sorted things out, eh fox?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shaking his head, Kurama laughed and went over to his lover, sitting down on the edge of the bed and planting one hand on either side of the little demon's face. "I think you're right Hiei, and I hope they find solace in each other the way I think they can." He rubbed his nose against the other demon's and laughed again at his murmur of pleasure. He felt Hiei's hands on his arms and soon they too were swept away, much like their friends, in a night of love, passion, and fulfillment.

~*END*~


End file.
